San Diego Healthcare Giant Unveils State-of-the-Art Hospital Tower Focused on Labor & Delivery with Smart Data-Driven Design, Advanced Care Units, Gardens and Robots
Acclaimed interdisciplinary firm HGA announced today that the construction of North Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla(Calif.) is complete. Located just off I-5 on Genesee Avenue, the 420,000-square-foot, eight-floor building houses its own complete hospital with 188 inpatient beds, which includes Scripps La Jolla’s mother-baby services and is part of Scripps Health’s larger plan to redevelop its entire La Jolla hospital campus.
North Tower was intentionally crafted to complement the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute while simultaneously supplementing Scripps’ larger healthcare system facilities. It is both modern and contextual to its surroundings.
“HGA’s collaborative design approach allowed us to identify and focus on elements essential for a positive patient experience. This included an optimized workflow, serene areas for respite, and advanced labor, delivery, and recovery floors, designed to provide comfort and peace of mind for families,” said Tim Jacoby, Scripps Health corporate vice president for facilities, construction and design.
Scripps La Jolla has served the greater San Diego community since 1924. With a focus on providing best-in-class, patient-centric healthcare, the project team utilized data from various design simulations and operational models to ensure the building met Scripps’ needs for today’s modern workforce and community. By honing in on ways to increase extended care staff and create more collaborative spaces with optimized workflow, HGA helped further cement the establishment as one of the region’s premier providers.
“We’re honored to have been engaged to design this innovative, patient-centered hospital by such a high-caliber name in healthcare. This is among our largest healthcare projects in California, and it was crucial that this tower was designed to be both efficient and consistent with Scripps’ campus-wide standards for care and comfort,” said Scott Laoboonmi, principal and senior project manager for the Healthcare Practice Group at HGA. “Working in tandem with our project partners, we’re proud to deliver a building that blends seamlessly with its neighboring structures while aligning with Scripps’ vision for exceptional workflow for patients and staff alike.”
The new acute care facility features dedicated space for labor and delivery, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and a postpartum floor. HGA configured the building to provide access to outdoor gardens from the Labor and Delivery and NICU floors, offering families a serene place of respite. Located on the seventh floor, the postpartum unit offers mothers and families sweeping views of La Jolla.
HGA integrated a new cafeteria within the facility with ample natural light and separate dining and lounge areas. North Tower’s design also prioritized creating a cohesive surgery unit with nine new operating rooms, an expanded preoperative holding area, and improved visibility for hospital staff by integrating a glass-walled workroom. Additionally, the hospital features a helipad on the roof.
As part of HGA’s scope, the firm also executed a central energy plan (CEP) expansion for North Tower and various site improvements.
HGA collaborated with KPFF, structural and civil engineering; and AEI, Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing; McCarthy Building Companies, construction.
About HGA
HGA is a national interdisciplinary design firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. We believe that great design requires a sense of curiosity—forming deep insight into our clients, their contexts, and the human condition. We are a collective of over 1,200 architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, researchers, and strategists. Our practice spans multiple markets, including healthcare, science and technology, corporate, cultural, education, and local and federal government. Visit HGA.com or follow on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
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